Hermes UK has expanded its ‘green fleet’ in London to further reduce emissions and congestion,and has won more retailers to use its ‘Parcel Manager’ app providing recipients with full delivery
visibility.The company said it has started operating a fleet of 44 electric, zero-emission vehicles in thestreets of London, in time for the busy Christmas period, with the aim to save 146 tonnes in carbonemissions per year and to drastically reduce congestion in the British capital. This represents thecompany’s biggest fleet of electric vehicles deployed in a major European city so far and is partof a highly ambitious environmental agenda by the UK government.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, praised the initiative: “Hermes is setting a fantasticexample for London’s logistics companies, all of whom have their part to play in helping to improveLondon’s air quality. It is an urgent challenge, which affects the health and wellbeing of allLondoners. Under the world’s most ambitious and comprehensive set of measures, we have alreadytaken thousands of the most polluting buses and taxis off the streets, and are planning the world’sfirst Ultra Low Emission Zone in central London from 2020. By doing their bit, Hermes is helping tocreate cleaner, greener, more breathable air for every Londoner.”
In partnership with Gnewt Cargo, London’s leading EV (electric vehicle) only parcel operatorspecialised in final mile deliveries, Hermes UK targets 100% savings in carbon and nitrogen oxideemissions for the last mile delivery within the city. “This represents the biggest commitment yetby a UK carrier to cut emissions in the city,” Hermes said.
The state-of-the-art Renault Kangoo Z.E. vehicles use sustainably-sourced electricity which doesnot contribute to the pollution caused by traditional power stations. They are smaller than theirpredecessors, which will also reduce the parking space they take up by 40%.
Martijn de Lange, Operations Director, Hermes, said: “Under the new initiative, Hermes willdramatically reduce the number of kilometers travelled to fulfill deliveries in central London,from almost 500,000 km to 100,000 km a year. We welcome the opportunity to support the Mayor’swidespread backing of Ultra Low Emission Vehicles and his introduction of an Ultra Low EmissionZone. We understand that ULEVs form a key part of improving air quality within the city and Hermesis pleased to be able to contribute to the long-standing objective of creating a greener London.”& amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; lt; /p>
Meanwhile, a large number of leading UK retailers have signed up to Hermes’ new parcel trackingapp, which allows online shoppers to access real-time updates of their deliveries with Hermes on asmartphone or tablet.
Once retailers have dispatched the items to Hermes, consumers can track their parcels via thefree Hermes Parcel Manager app from the company’s hub right up to their front door, place of work,a neighbour’s house, or one of the 4,500 myHermes ParcelShops across the UK. Through increasedvisibility via real-time tracking, retailers will see a reduction in failed delivery attempts andthe number of consumer enquiries received during their busiest time of year, Hermes predicted.
Hermes Parcel Manager also provides push notifications so customers can receive direct updateson the progress of their parcels. The app is fully compatible with iOS and Android devices and isdual-branded with each individual retailer, helping to provide an extension of the overall brandexperience.
Carole Woodhead, CEO of Hermes UK, said: “We continue to place huge emphasis on creatinginnovative products to complement our delivery services. Our recent international research revealedthat more than twice as many Brits are using smartphones and tablets to buy products online thanthe French and the Germans. As people are using these devices more often, we wanted to create anapp that provides increased visibility, reduces inbound enquiries for retailers and improves thefirst time delivery rate, which is critical as Christmas fast approaches.”
